First, yes you have amazing friends and wife. How about getting some quilting books that have pictures of the type of quilts you want to do. Show this to your wife/friends and then mention that you just have to get some yardages of background fabric to go with all of thier great gifts they've given to you so far and you can complete one of them. This may open the opportunity for discussion as to the color scheme or a gift certificate, etc that could get you more of what you want. Good luck. You'd be surprised that even ugly fabric when cut down can totally change its looks and be used in quilts successfully. Have you tried to use some of the fabric by chosing different sections out, even the pannel can be used. The flannel works great in rag quilts or even patch work quilts. You didn't say what type of quilts you were doing but there are lots out there. Right now, I making a log cabin out of large fleece pieces and its looking really pretty.

Happy to have you back to your machine. As for the fabric you can use it as others will say for backings and stach building, but you can also trade with other sewer and quilters (ie: fabric swaps). And as far as the quilt pattern with the Scotty Dogs, I've seen the pattern and I'll be going back to get it. But I wont be using it as a small quilt, I'll be hitting the copy store to enlarge the Scotty Dog to use in the center of another quilt. You might find applique is fun, but starting out with small applique is not easy - blow the picture up to make it easier for your first time and then use stick glue to hold in place and use your machine to sew the dog down. These are all things that are outside of your comfort zone, but you might find that you can still have fun with. Good luck

I really can empathize with you on this. I used to do a lot of beading and my kids and friends seemed to think that was the gift of choice for me----beads and more beads often some i knew I would not use and still have around here. One daughter kept getting me subscriptions to beading magazines. Finally she asked me if I still wanted to get it and I told her I did not. now it is quilting and I have gotten big boxes of fat quarters from them-----none matching anything of course. Mostly I just try to appreciate their thoughtfulness and not worry about whether or not to use them. I just feel it better to not hurt feeling than to ask them to stop. I find that after a while they move on and find other things to give as gifts. Good luck and hopefully they will also stop in time once the newness of it wears off. Meanwhile, I can make lots of scrappy things.

I wish I could get any potential gifters' to get me jelly rolls and layer cakes. I can't bring myself to buy them myself but I sure would like to have many whole fabric lines. Love that idea!

I love chickens too!! I have received MANY MANY chicken nicknacks!!....never received fabric, but have some patterns people "thought of me" when they saw them....haven't made any of them yet...most are not my style! As a quilter I think stashes are required!!!

Laura, I, too, love/own chickens. I also have six kids....who delight in buying me every sort of chicken knick knack ever created. I doubt you'd have to worry about being flooded with those kind of knick knacks......as I believe they have ALL made their way to my house. LOL

I have managed to convince my kids to start giving me sewing related items instead. So, of course, I get chicken themed fabric!!! Oy.

I think making a list of things you could really use to hand out to your friends might be helpful. If you are still gifted fabric you do not want for whatever reason, try your local quilt guild who may be able to steer you towards someone who makes quilts for shelters? I know they are always grateful for fabric.

Maybe explain the problem to your wife and enlist her help in getting the message to your friends? (How nice to be so loved!)

I have a very GIVING friend who does a lot of nice things for people. She will NOT allow anybody to give back to her. She says it makes her feel GOOD to "DO" for others... so I told HER.... it makes ME feel good to give to her. I told her she is depriving ME of that GOOD feeling that she enjoys so much.. That stopped her in her tracks..... so now when she starts to balk at me taking her to lunch or giving her $$ for gas for the road trip we just took - I just remind her she is depriving me of feeling good. As a quilter - part of the FUN is fabric shopping - so in essence your wife and friends (while intensions are GOOD!) are depriving you of ONE of the joys of quilting.... stated simply - this might work for you! good luck !!